Of Nugs and Dwarves
by Kal-El Fornia
Summary: Sometimes the plans of even the most brilliant minds go awry, and even if things sometimes seem to go off without a hitch in the end, they really don't. As King Bhelen reluctantly holds a feast to honor his older brother, the Paragon Jehuty, certain actions make Bhelen think that Jehuty isn't over that whole "killing Trian" thing.


Ever since I found out that we are going to be able to play as Dwarves again in Dragon Age: Inquisition, I started playing the series again. Short bouts of DA2 between long bouts of Origins since Hawke's voices of both genders annoy me to no end. I love playing both Dwarf Nobel and Casteless Warden. Those, along with City Elf, are my favorite origins.

Disclaimer: Don't own Dragon Age.

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"Glory to the Ancestors!" King Bhelen proudly proclaimed from the head of the table at the feast he was holding to honor the Hero of Ferelden, "Glory to Paragon Jehuty, King Alistair, and the rest of the Grey Wardens!"

Jehuty only shook his head for a moment, not quite ever remembering the dramatic flair that his little brother had obtained ever since he had become king of Orzammar. He held up his glass, as did Alistair, and together all in attendance raised their glasses to join in on the toast.

"You bring glory to us all little brother," Jehuty went on to say once Bhelen sat back down and once everyone went back to whatever conversations they were having.

Ignoring the sarcasm in his brother's voice Bhelen replied, "It's such a shame that Trian can't be here. Ah, how fate can be so cruel."

Rolling his eyes, Jehuty took another bite of roasted nug. "The Ancestors work in mysterious ways."

Bhelen nodded in agreement that Trian's death was a tragedy, and that he in no way, shape, or form had anything to do with killing him. "That reminds me brother," Bhelen began to question since things like betrayal and cold-blooded murder always made him think of his older brothers for some reason, "you said that you had some important news about the Darkspawn that you needed to talk about?"

At that, the other conversations at the King's Table, the most glorious table to be seated at for the feast, especially since all who sat there received an extra nug leg than the other tables, halted. Alistair coughed into his drink since he had expected a nice Dwarven feast to take his mind off of ruling Ferelden, not Jehuty going so far as to reveal Warden secrets of all things. Jehuty took a another bite of nug, a drink of some of the fine Orlesian wine that Bhelen had begun to import, and cleared his throat as he looked around the table. Bhelen, Gorim, Oghren, Sigrun, and Vartag all watched expectantly, as did most of the other people at the King's Table, except for Frandlin Ivo who always looked nervous in Jehuty's presence, and rightfully so considering Frandlin's role in framing him for Trian's murder.

"I'm not sure how that reminded you of any Darkspawn news that I had to tell you, but yes I did have to talk to you about something. We found out how the Fifth Blight began," Jehuty announced to the table, gasps coming from the women, save Sigrun, who were seated there.

Immediately, Alistair elbowed his Warden-Commander, "Dude, Warden secrets!"

Following that, Oghren and Sigrun shared a look with one another, before both nodding in agreement. Oghren then spoke up. "I agree with the virgin, Commander. We're Grey Wardens, and our secrets are our own."

Intrigued, especially since the Darkspawn had always been the greatest threat to Orzammar, Bhelen ignored the concerns of the Wardens who weren't Jehuty and leaned forward. "Continue, big brother."

Also ignoring the Wardens in his command, Jehuty dramatically looked off into the distance. "It was a sentient Darkspawn who tainted one of the Old Gods when trying to also grant said dragon sentience," at that moment Jehuty stood up even more dramatically than how he had stared off into the distance and pointed a finger to who he was about to accuse, "and that Darkspawn's name is Frandlin Ivo!"

Furious, Frandlin stood up to protest, only to be apprehended by two of the palace guards. "What? That's insane!"

The guards held onto Frandlin tightly, and all around the room mumbles and whispers were heard. Bhelen looked around the room, and then to Jehuty. He wondered if maybe his big brother wasn't as over that whole Trian incidence as he thought he was.

"Furthermore," Jehuty continued on, "with the authority granted to me by the Grey Wardens who have saved this world time and time again, and the Paragons of Orzammar, I sentence Frandlin Ivo, Darkspawn scum, to death!"

This time it was Bhelen who stood up, never expecting someone to be sentenced to death at his feast. "Calm down, brother! Frandlin Ivo has always been a a proud friend of House Aeducan."

"Are you saying no to the Commander of the Grey?"

Bhelen opened his mouth to protest, but then stopped when he got an idea. It was true that Frandlin was a loyal and willing pawn in his schemes, but perhaps it would be best to finally clean up the few remaining loose ends he had about that whole Trian being murdered thing. Such a shame.

Instead, Bhelen took a deep breath and lowered his head in reverence. "I cannot defy the will of a Paragon."

Immediately, the guards began to lead Frandlin away, despite the noble's protest, but then Jehuty raised his hand to stop them. "Sigrun and Oghren can take it from here. Only a Grey Warden is going to be able to kill Frandlin."

Bhelen looked at him skeptically. "Why?"

Clearing his throat once more, Jehuty began to use his more suave voice, the same one that he had once used to bed a Dalish virgin. That was of course before he had her eaten by werewolves. "Because if anyone other than a Grey Warden kills Frandlin, then Frandlin's soul will go into the nearest Darkspawn, and then that Darkspawn will become Frandlin Ivo!"

More gasps were heard all around, but Frandlin continued to yell out once Oghren and Sigrun grabbed onto him. "Are you even hearing this? This is insane!"

Ever the brilliant schemer that he was, Bhelen at that moment realized that he had a good opportunity to get himself on better terms with the Grey Wardens. That, and taking out someone who had dirt on him was always a plus. "Brother, now that you have revealed Frandlin's true self I can feel his wicked Darkspawn magic fading away! He has bewitched us all, but thank the Ancestors for you and the Grey Wardens to have uncovered him."

Deciding that he would receive no objections from the Orzammar crown, Jehuty took out his trusty murder knife and walked over to Oghren and Sigrun who were holding on tightly to Frandlin. After stabbing Frandlin about thirty or forty times in the face, Jehuty gave a sigh of relief and then walked back over to his seat. With all the commotion of Frandlin dealt with, some casteless servants came in to clean up the mess, and everyone else resumed eating their food, except for Alistair of course.

"Maker's breath!" the King of Ferelden yelled out, aghast at how brutal Dwarven politics could be. He never approved of people abusing their power, especially when it came to all the more unscrupulous things that Jehuty did in the name of raging against the Blight, but this was too much, even for Alistair. Especially since he already knew the truth to why Trian had died and to why Jehuty wanted to kill Frandlin so much.

He chugged his Orlesian wine, the very next moment a servant filling it right back up, and then Alistair looked over at Oghren and Sigrun, who were sitting right across from him. "I don't even want to know how their brother Trian was if this is how the two of them act."

"I knew Prince Trian," Oghren admitted, "he was a bit of an ass."

"He was," Sigrun agreed, "I once watched as he lectured a legless boy on the virtues of hard work."

At that, Vartag stood up, furious that a casteless and surface dwarf had just insulted the late former heir to the crown of Orzammar. "How dare you insult House Aeducan!"

Not wanting Vartag to die since he doubted that his second could take on a Warden, Bhelen raised his hand to pacify him. "Calm yourself, Vartag. They are Grey Wardens, and you will give them the respect that is their due."

Reluctantly, Vartag sat down and the feast continued on to the enjoyment of everyone present. After about half an hour though, Jehuty sighed contently, and looked over at his brother. "Bhelen, can you summon whoever it is that cooked this nug?"

"Why?"

With his fork, Jehuty took another bite and smiled. "Because there aren't very many people out on the surface that know how to cook a decent nug. I want to give them the glory they deserve."

Accepting that reason, Bhelen motioned to his guards and told them to present the head chef to Jehuty. Complimenting the chef was something that Bhelen had never seen Jehuty do when they had grown up together in the palace, but he figured that maybe that was just an odd habit that his brother had picked up in his time on the surface. Or perhaps, maybe it was just a Ferelden thing just like that dog fetish that everyone had. Sure, little Endrin loved Jehuty's Mabari well enough, but Bhelen sometimes still couldn't believe that Jehuty had named his dog after their dead brother.

After a moment another casteless servant that was dressed in a chef's outfit came before Jehuty. Bowing on one knee to the man that was both the Commander of the Grey and Orzammar's newest Paragon, he spoke firmly. "My name is Taren Briac, and I am a proud servant of House Aeducan."

Poking around at his food for another second, Jehuty looked over at the servant and smiled. "The nug you cooked was very good."

Taren simply kept his head bowed. "Your words bring me glory, Paragon Jehuty."

Jehuty turned around and ate another piece of nug before he looked once more over to the servant. "How would you like to come back to Vigil's Keep in Amaranthine? The Wardens don't have anyone who knows how to cook good Dwarven food. You'd be perfect, and I'll triple your salary of whatever it is that good ol' King Bhelen here pays you."

Taren looked up and opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself since he remembered that the man in front of him was a Paragon.

Sensing that Taren didn't want to go off and become a surface Dwarf, Bhelen decided to intervene since, as much of a treacherous brother-murdering person that he was, he always looked out for the little guy.

Besides, Bhelen did quite fancy the idea of having something that Jehuty wanted but couldn't get. "I'm sorry, big brother, but that simply won't do. Taren here is the finest chef in all of Orzammar, in all of Thedas no doubt, and his place is here among the proud foundation of House Aeducan."

Taren breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jehuty nod, and Bhelen smiled, glad that that was over.

"I understand," Jehuty lied, "and so I invoke the Right of Conscription."

There was an awkward silence at those words since no one really had any idea what to say to that. Alistair's mouth was hanging open, the other Dwarves who were there were looking down and poking at their food, and Bhelen was furious on the inside, never wanting to admit that he had been one-upped by Jehuty, but kept his composure.

"And I," Bhelen began while gritting his teeth since he, like every other head of state in Thedas, had to honor the ancient rights of the Wardens, "King Bhelen of Orzammar, acknowledge your Right."

Jehuty grinned and began to eat once more, and Taren was led off by the palace guards to go and prepare the few possessions that he had for his life on the surface among the Grey Wardens. He doubted that Taren would survive the Joining, but he would do anything if it meant getting under Bhelen's skin.

"I wish Trian was alive," Bhelen muttered to himself since now he was thinking that he had murdered the wrong brother.

At that moment a large Mabari, no doubt excited at hearing its name, rushed through the dining hall and jumped on top of King Bhelen, humping him all the while. As Jehuty laughed, Bhelen wondered if maybe the Antivan Crows would take another shot at killing his brother.

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Jehuty is my Dwarf Warden that actually sided with Bhelen. My other Dwarf Noble and main and original Warden, Dravid Aeducan, killed that little bastard with the Shield of Aeducan itself. Dwarven politics and all.


End file.
